


The Epic Chase Across Middle Earth

by Marriott23



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Everybody Lives, Frerin lives in the shire, Frerin's alive, M/M, swordsman Bilbo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:30:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1851391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marriott23/pseuds/Marriott23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frerin survives the dragon attack but thinking his family dead he wanders on his own. Eventually he ends up filthy and exhausted in the Shire. Taken in by Bungo he lives alongside Bilbo.</p>
<p>Now with Bilbo in over his head going to reclaim Erebor, Frerin must chase after him to make sure he's safe. Will he catch up in time? Or will something dreadful happen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For this prompt:
> 
> AU: Bilbo and Frerin: How to Chase a Hobbit and Not Get Killed  
> Years before the Company marches into Bilbo's life, another dwarf made his way into the Shire. Unfortunately, his condition hinted at a dire past. He was filthy, silent, and cringed whenever anyone tried to get close. Many hobbits wanted to cast him out, but Bungo, to the shock of all, took the terrified dwarf into his home. Belladonna never knew whether to kiss him or facepalm. 
> 
> Bilbo grew up with this strange dwarf. At first, he's wary of him. Bungo's kind treatment, though, helps settle him. As time passes, the dwarf seems to regain what he once lost. They learn he's Frerin, a native of Erebor. Bilbo and Frerin slowly become close friends. It becomes uncommon to see one without the other.
> 
> The week before the Company arrives, Frerin sets out on a business matter. He returns to an empty Bag End. He learns Bilbo joined Gandalf and a bunch of dwarves on some adventure. Realizing Bilbo's in over his head, he tries to follow them. He never quiet catches up, suffering "roadblocks." He ultimately catches up after the BotFA is over. Disguising himself, he enters the battlefield, seeking his friend. He learns from some Elves that Thorin seeks Bilbo's head for stealing the Arkenstone.
> 
> Cue Thorin's shock when his brother storms into his tent, murder in his eyes.

Frerin just stumbled over the border into the Shire before he collapsed on the ground. When he woke again he was surrounded by a crowd of small beings that were staring at him suspiciously. Slowly he gained more awareness and realised they were muttering about him angrily.

 

"Can't stay here."

 

"Look at him he's filthy."

 

"He's got a sword. It's not proper."

 

As they talked Frerin withdrew further into himself. He was going to get moved on again. At least the men, for all their faults, waited until there was something they could blame on him. As he mused another hobbit arrived and cut through the mass of voices. "Shame on you," the hobbit called to the watchers. "He's tired and no doubt injured and you would cast him away." With that the hobbit approached Frerin and reached out to help him to his feet. "Come on let's get you some food." The dwarf unwillingly let himself be led away wishing he could break the contact but unsure if he was allowed.

 

They approached a round green door and Frerin found himself being led through it. "Why are you back so soon?" A voice called at them.

 

"Something happened," the hobbit supporting Frerin answered.

 

"What?" A hobbit woman said appearing around a corner with a faunt just behind her. She paused as she saw the dwarf, "Bungo?" she questioned.

 

"They were going to kick him out of the Shire. What was I supposed to do?" Her husband replied. Belladonna looked at him unsure whether to kiss him or face palm; her respectable Bungo Baggins bringing dwarves into their home.

 

Frerin of course heard none of this because he had passed out again at the first smell of food. Luckily Bungo had managed to support him and now manoeuvred him into a chair. "Food Bella," he said as he tried to wake the dwarf. He was unsuccessful until Belladonna reappeared and placed a tantalising plate of food under the dwarf's nose. At the smell of food so nearby the dwarf groaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Where?" he mumbled, before he caught sight of the two hobbits standing close by.

 

He shrank away from them and catching the movement Belladonna pulled her husband away. "Eat," Belladonna ordered gesturing at the food, "I'll draw you a bath." Surprised but unwilling to question the kindness he was being offered Frerin started to eat. His hosts didn't seem scared of him which was an improvement nor did they expect him to steal anything.

 

When he was finished eating he waited unsure where to go. As he waited he caught sight of a young hobbit watching him warily from the doorway. When the young hobbit realised he was being watched he darted away out of sight. Frerin was now even more confused; they were letting him near their child. As he mused this over the hobbit woman came back. She didn't approach him but there was a knowledge in her eyes that suggested she understood that he didn't want anyone near. It went further though to suggest she knew what sorts of things could lead to such wariness and maybe had experienced them. "The bath's ready," she said across the room before showing him a room that had a large tub in it. The tub was filled with water and she motioned him in but made no move to follow.

 

"Take as long as you like," she said. As she turned to walk away she paused, glancing back. "There's a lock you can use," she added. Again her understanding surprised Frerin but he didn't question it just nodded his thanks. He waited until he could no longer see her before he shut the door and studied the lock. He froze as he realised it was of dwarven make but slid it home. He was happy knowing that the lock was of his own people and would likely hold better than if it was not.

 

Turning to the bath Frerin slowly stripped out of his travel stained clothes and lowered himself into the water. He let out a sigh as the warmth began to ease his aching muscles. He stayed in the bath till the water had cooled and turned from crystal clear to a dark black. As he dried himself with a towel that had been laid out he realised he hadn't been this clean since Erebor was attacked.

 

As he reached for his clothes he saw a pile of fresh clothes near to where the towel had been. Approaching he saw a piece of parchment on top of them with a curly script over it.

 

_I thought you could use some clean clothes and hope that these fit_

_Don't worry about having to repay us for anything. I'm glad to have_

_a dwarf in my home. You may stay as long as you like._

_Belladonna_

 

Frerin frowned at the note and realised that she had obviously realised he wouldn't respond well to conversation. He tried on the clothes and found they fitted rather well before he headed from the room. When he came across the hobbit she smiled, "Good they fit," before leading him back to the table which was laden with food. "It's time for afternoon tea," she explained. Taking the seat she offered him he found himself sitting at a family meal. Talk flowed around him but he focused on the food before him trying to remember when he had seen such a spread last.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a week before Frerin would hold the simplest of conversations with the family that had taken him in. He rarely left the house and when he did he soon came back as the other hobbits drove him back with their comments. He was getting better about letting Bella, Bungo and the child he learnt was Bilbo closer to him but he still cringed away from touches.

 

The faunt had been wary at first but the kindness with which Frerin was treated by his parents began to sway him. He came closer to the dwarf each time until finally he was standing before the dwarf. "My name's Bilbo," he managed to say. Though the words were quiet the dwarf caught them easily, "what's yours?"

 

"Frerin," he replied speaking for the first time. That was how the hobbits learnt him name and it was the young faunt that drew him into talking more.

 

Gradually over him time with the hobbits Frerin found a family to replace the one he had lost. He still mourned the deaths of his family but he found something to keep him living life. The young faunt stuck to Frerin's side even though his mother tried to pry him aside to give the dwarf space. "Just send him away if he bothers you," she told Frerin.

 

"It's alright he reminds me of my family," Frerin replied quietly. Belladonna looked at him and caught the sadness in his eyes before nodding once. She promised him that he could talk to her with her eyes before walking away.

 

He was grateful she didn't push and turned to Bilbo who was watching wide eyed. "We can be your family now," the faunt announced startling Frerin. He didn't realise that the young hobbit would pick up on his sadness.

 

"I'd like that," Frerin replied picking up the faunt and spinning him around. And so Frerin became part of the Baggins Family. He played with Bilbo and made him toys and in turn Bilbo sent away the scathing hobbits that bothered Frerin with a few choice words. They became inseparable and Frerin found himself sometimes forgetting the little hobbit wasn't Thorin. When the knowledge that his brother was dead came crashing back down; he would fall into his silence again until Bilbo drew him back out of it with some antic or another.

 

Slowly Frerin began to open up about his past to the family which had taken him in. He told tales of Erebor before it fell carefully leaving out that he had once been a prince. He mentioned his family but no names ever passed his lips and the hobbits did not push for them. "What happened?" Bilbo asked him one day as they lay in the grass.

 

"What happened where?" Frerin asked turning to him.

 

"What happened to Erebor?"

 

Frerin looked at the little hobbit and saw the curiosity in his eyes. "The king became greedy and piled up more and more gold. He fell into something my people call gold sickness. That gold attracted a dragon which came upon the mountain and stole it from my people." Bilbo was staring at him open mouthed and Frerin realised tears were rolling down his cheeks. Bilbo reached up and touched them cautiously before grabbing Frerin into a hug.


	3. Chapter 3

When Bellandona and Bungo passed Frerin was there for the young hobbit who was only a year from his majority. He held Bilbo through his nightmares and kept him going despite his grief just as Bilbo had for him all those years ago.

 

When the hobbit stopped waking in the night screaming Frerin didn't stop sleeping in Bilbo's room. Gradually they began to make the change from friends to lovers and through it all they stayed inseparable. Frerin finally disclosed the true date of his birth to the hobbit making him over a hundred years old. The dwarf had then crouched down and explained to Bilbo that they had roughly the same number of years left to live.

 

Over the years Frerin had to start travelling further to find work and could be gone for weeks at a time. He never asked Bilbo to come with him and Bilbo never asked him to stay but whenever he returned he would find his favourite meal on the table. They had an arrangement that worked but both wished that it didn't have to exist; that they could stay in Bagend together.

 

Bilbo looked up one day as they sat by the fire as if he was considering something. Frerin looked up and caught his eye, "can you teach me to fight?" the hobbit asked.

 

"Fight, why?" Frerin answered looking at the hobbit in confusion. Bilbo had never asked this of him before instead insisting that Frerin's reluctance to part with his sword was ridicules.

 

"I'd like to travel with you one day," Bilbo replied glancing away as if embarrassed by his request.

 

Frerin paused taken aback by the answer; he hadn't expected the reply to be that. Bilbo had never shown any desire to travel with him but then he had never asked no matter how much he wanted the hobbit to come. "You don't need to be able to fight to accompany me." Frerin finally replied but he caught the look on the hobbits face. "Although I suppose it would be better," he conceded before Bilbo could protest.

 

So it was that at the age of fourty-five Bilbo left the Shire for the first time with Frerin at his side. Bagend was in the care of Drogo Baggins and Bilbo had a hobbit size sword belted at his waist. It was the best trip Frerin had been on in a long time because now he had his hobbit at his side. After that Bilbo sometimes accompanied his dwarf when he made his trips and sometimes stayed at home but whichever he chose there was from then on a sword at his waist.

 

Despite Frerin's insistence over the years that the hobbit hadn't really needed to learn how to use the sword it had been useful several times. Frerin had reluctantly agreed that maybe Bilbo had been correct before he darted off hunting so as to avoid the hobbit's teasing.


	4. Chapter 4

Frerin stood by the door of the hobbit hole with a pack slung over his shoulder. "Sure you don't want to come?" he asked Bilbo who stood before him with a look of longing on his face.

 

"Not this time," Bilbo replied before stretching up to press a kiss to the dwarf's lips. "Be safe," he said as he broke away.

 

Frerin nodded patting his sword, "you too." Bilbo nodded and watched as his dwarf turn and walk away. With an ache in his heart he went back into his hobbit hole and tried not to count the hours till Frerin would be back.

 

A week later Bilbo was sitting outside his house trying not to pretend he was longing for his lover. He had a pipe in his hand when a man dressed in grey approached his house. After a very confusing conversation about 'good mornings' the man finally said who he was.

 

The hobbit had vague memories of Gandalf from the time before Frerin came to live with them. Accepting that the man was a wizard he waited to see what he wanted in the Shire. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure," Gandalf said eventually. Ah there it is, Bilbo thought.

 

After saying in no uncertain terms that he wouldn't be going on an adventure he invited Gandalf to tea and rushed back into his hobbit hole. Wizards after all are wizards and he didn't want to offend one. So when he answered the door the next evening to find a dwarf standing there he cursed the Gandalf so violently that the dwarf took a step back.

 

Glancing at the dwarf Bilbo stepped aside opening the door further, "You may as well come in." The dwarf entered warily and helped the hobbit gather food from the pantry. Bilbo smiled at the dwarf's excitement over the cookies that were cooling before handing the dwarf the cookie jar. The dwarf looked startled but before he could speak the doorbell rang and Bilbo found another dwarf on his doorstep.

 

The hobbit eventually just propped the door open and hung up a quickly made sign. Balin went to read it where it hung on the gate.

 

                                                               _Dwarves come in. Wizards go away._

 

The dwarf let out a laugh remembering his brother saying that the hobbit had cursed the wizard when he arrived. Bilbo meanwhile had sat down at the table and was working his way through a meal as if the dwarves weren't throwing food around him. When they began to throw his plates though he snapped, "Stop this instant. Carry it or leave it on the table I care not but do not throw it." The dwarves had paused for a moment looking at the hobbit to see if there was any point listening. Bilbo's hand moved to rest on the sword at his waist the dwarves didn't take note of it before they remembered their own weapons had been left at the door. The throwing of plates had thankfully stopped and the hobbits hand had moved.

 

The room had just been cleaned and everything put away clean when there was a knock at the door. "He's here," a dwarf said. Bilbo pushed past the wizard who was standing in his way to open the door. Before him stood a regal looking dwarf; Bilbo guessed that he was the leader of this adventure.

 

"Gandalf, I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way twice." The dwarf said looking at the wizard and ignoring the hobbit.

 

The wizard just smiled knowingly which annoyed the hobbit even more. "This is Bilbo Baggins," Gandalf said at last ignoring the dwarf's comment. "Bilbo this is the leader of our company. Thorin Oakenshield, king under the mountain."

 

Bilbo's eyes flickered back to the dwarf thankful that Frerin wasn't there for the first time that evening. His lover had a very sceptical view of kings and this one would probably take offence. He already seemed to be taking offence to the fact that Bilbo hadn't offered any acknowledgement of his rank. "So this is the hobbit," the dwarf said stepping closer to Bilbo looking unimpressed. Now Bilbo was beginning to take offence, "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar. Axe or sword, master hobbit?"

 

"I do have some skill at conkers," Bilbo replied. Really is the dwarf couldn't be bothered to look at his sword then he didn't deserve straight answered.

 

"Just as I thought, he won't survive in the wild," the dwarf replied scathingly. Dwalin, who had taken a liking to the hobbit, coughed loudly. "What?" Thorin asked rounding on his friend and staunch defender.

 

"I believe the hobbit was joking," Dwalin replied evenly not pulling back under his king's glare, "if the sword at his waist is anything to go by." Thorin's gaze turned to the hobbit again and he winced as he saw the sword. Instead of apologising though he pushed past in search of food. Bilbo stared angrily after him only to find a hand on his shoulder, "let him go."

 

Bilbo didn't sit at his table instead standing behind Thorin, whilst the king ate the plate of food that had been set aside for him. Eventually Bilbo ran out of patience, "Could someone tell me why you're all here?"

 

Thorin turned to look at him before turning back to the table at a whole. "The time is right to take back our home. The signs are all pointing towards it. We're taking back The Lonely Mountain."

 

Bilbo froze looking at the king who had turned to him to see his response. "The Lonely Mountain as in Erebor; as in home of a dragon? You have got to be mad."

 

"It is my duty as King Under the Mountain," Thorin said calmly though he twitched slightly at the comment.

 

"Comes with the job," Bilbo retorted. Thorin stood his eyes blazing at the insult to his family. "Say that again," Thorin growled his hand on his sword as he took a step towards Bilbo. "I said being mad comes with the job. If your precious king hadn't been gold mad then you wouldn't have been run from your home."

 

Several things happened following Bilbo's words: Thorin sprang forward pulling his sword his eyes blazing; Bilbo drew his in response his own eyes blazing with anger and Balin tried to calm them both. "Outside halfling," Thorin growled storming out.

 

"Gladly," Bilbo replied following him. With nothing better to do the dwarves stood and followed the pair outside. Balin still trying to stop the fight approached his king but was sent away nursing an arm.

 

The king and hobbit crashed together to the ring of metal but neither was able to gain the upper hand. The dwarves watched amazed as the hobbit held his own against Thorin not seeming to even struggle slightly under the weight of a dwarvern blow. Finally they ran out of anger to hurl at each other and broke apart and though both were panting slightly they didn't seem much worse for wear. "Not bad halfling," Thorin said with a small smile, his anger forgotten.

 

"Not bad yourself," Bilbo replied with a grin as he sheathed his sword. "So a dragon then?" He asked still grinning and there was no taunt in his words now.

 

"Aye, a dragon," Thorin replied walking across to clasp arms with Bilbo like he did only with close kin.

 

The rest of the dwarves watched in confusion as the anger faded out of the fighters and they ended up showing more than a grudging respect for each other. It was Dwalin who approached the hobbit and king first and convinced them to come inside again.

 

When they went to sleep that evening Bilbo had signed the contract and was trying to draft a letter to Frerin. He would get his lover back his home but he didn't want to leave him for the length of time it took to cross Middle Earth twice.


	5. Chapter 5

Frerin arrived home to an empty hobbit hole and he knew something was wrong immediately. Never had Bilbo been out when he returned and now the hobbit was nowhere to be seen. The hobbit hole was cold as if no one had lived there for a while and the pantry was empty.

 

Eventually he caught sight of a letter on the mantelpiece with his name written on it in Bilbo's neat script.

 

                        _Frerin_

                        _While you were gone the wizard Gandalf came by offering an_

_adventure. Naturally I refused because I would rather be here_

_with you. However when dwarves started arriving at my door_

_I admit I was curious. To be brief I have gone with these dwarves_

_to reclaim Erebor._

_I'll miss you but I hope that if we succeed we can live in your_

_childhood home. Maybe get a house together once we're married_

_I love you with all my heart,_

_Your hobbit,_

_Bilbo_

 

 

Frerin grew stiller with each word as his worry for the hobbit grew. As he came to the end of the letter his heart began to beat faster. His hobbit had proposed to him. Sure it might be through a letter that told him Bilbo was heading for certain death but it was a proposal.

 

The letter suddenly felt too heavy in his hand and he looked inside to find a ring. He had taught Bilbo to use the forge when he was old enough and the ring had clearly been forged by the hobbit. Two bands of metal were woven together in and intricate design that only Bilbo was capable of in the Shire. The ring spoke volumes as it announced the hobbit's intention to marry him even before he departed on this made adventure.

 

Slipping the ring onto his finger and putting the letter safely into his jacket pocket Frerin headed from the door. "Off again so soon?" The Gaffer asked him as he passed.

 

"I have a fiancé to chase down. He's departed on a quest," Frerin replied stopping for a short conversation. He was far enough behind that a few minutes here and there made no difference no matter how desperate he was to chase after Bilbo.

 

"Finally propose then did you?" The hobbit replied, he seemed unsurprised by the news that Bilbo was on a quest.

 

"He did," Frerin replied, showing the hobbit the ring knowing that would be the next question.

 

"He's always been good with metal," the hobbit commented before looking up at Frerin. "You go and catch up. Make sure he gets home safe."

 

"I will," Frerin replied and with that he was off. He knew the route to Erebor by heart even if every time he thought of taking it he felt sick. Now though Bilbo lay along it and he had to find him before something happened.


	6. Chapter 6

Frerin was following a trail of camp fires when he came across one that was surrounded by orc prints. Crouching down he studied them for a moment and realised they hadn't been taking prisoners when they left but they were clearly following Bilbo's company. It didn't take him long to decide to follow the orcs to make sure they didn't get to Bilbo.

 

It took Frerin eight days of tracking to find the orcs and when he did they were dead with elvish arrows sticking out of them. Scouting the area he found the remains of a hastily left campfire and the marks of dwarves in the area. A little more exploring and he came across three stone trolls and the marks of a fight. He was still on the trail that Bilbo was taking to Erebor then. As he stood to head out he found himself ambushed by a group of orcs who had escaped the elves arrows.

 

When he had killed the last one he fell to the floor looking at a deep gash in his arm. Thinking for a moment he stumbled to his feet and headed to Rivendell hoping elvish healing would work better than anything he could think of.

 

As Frerin stumbled into Rivendell he was met by an elf, "not another dwarf," the elf commented with a groan.

 

"Please, I'm alone and injured. I was hoping to recover before moving on," Frerin replied pulling on everything hobbits knew of politeness. "I don't wish to impose though so if I can help to ease my stay in any way I'd be willing to do it."

 

"At least you're polite unlike that other lot," the elf replied thoughtfully. "Come let us get that seen to and then you can rest up." He led Frerin though the twists and turns of Rivendell to knock at a door. He gestured Frerin inside and walked away.

 

"A pleasure I'm sure," the elf inside said turning to him, "Lord Elrond at your service."

 

"Frerin at yours," he replied managing half a bow before he stumbled. The elf caught him and lowered him into a chair before taking his injured arm. Elrond worked in silence before he placed a glass of water before Frerin.

 

"Your brother was here not long ago," Elrond said as the dwarf drank.

Frerin froze and turned to Elrond his eyes wide, "My brother was killed by a dragon," he said slowly. The elf shook his head and Frerin's heart froze; Thorin was alive. "There wasn't by any chance a hobbit with him was there?"

 

"What is it to you?" Elrond demanded guardedly seeming unaware that the dwarf was still recovering from the shock of his brother being alive.

 

"He's my fiancé. I'm trying to keep him safe."

 

"There was a Bilbo Baggins here," Elrond said finally and the dwarf let out a groan his head sinking to the table.

 

It was a whole week before the elves would let him leave in pursuit of his lover and his not really dead brother. Next thing he knew he'd find out Dis was alive as well.


	7. Chapter 7

 

Frerin took the mountain pass that the elves had directed him on. After a few days of walking he found the remains of some kind of huge rockfall. He then had to spend a few days moving the rocks on the mostly destroyed path to get past. With the rocks finally cleared he made his way onwards but found a lack of evidence to show anyone passing that way recently.

 

Frerin grew more worried every day that he went without finding evidence of the company's survival. News didn't reach him until he was hiding from goblins who were talking nearby. As he listened he learnt of how they had captured a group of dwarves and they were now out hunting them because they had killed the Goblin King. Frerin had to muffle a laugh, such an act sounded like both his brother and his hobbit.

 

When the goblins had finally moved on Frerin slipped away and headed onwards. He found the tracks of some huge sort of bird on the top of a rock he climbed to see the lie of the land ahead. He studied the tracks on the rock and determined that they were leading from the birds and not towards.

 

That done he set off again heading towards the mountain he could see in the distance. As he walked he thought of the brother he hadn't seen since the dragon attacked. Thorin had been on the walls where the dragon had struck first; it had seemed logical that he had fallen with all the other warriors on that wall. He thought of happier times when Thorin and he had been as inseparable as he had come to be with Bilbo.

 

Seeing a house Frerin decided to head for it to see if he could learn anything of those he was tracking. A great man answered the door and as soon as he asked for news of a hobbit he found himself being roughly pinned to the floor. "Why do you want the little bunny?" The huge man growled pressing him harder into the floor.

 

"He's my friend," Frerin managed to say.

 

"I smell your lie dwarf. Answer truthfully now," he emphasised his point by pressing yet harder.

 

"I want to protect him, he's my lover," Frerin shouted. The fight draining out of him he whispered so quietly the man almost missed it, "we're going to marry."

 

"Well if your marrying little bunny I suppose I can help you," the man replied letting him up. Frerin learnt that the man was a shape shifter called Beorn who was sometimes a great man and other times a huge bear. He explained how he had helped the company before sending them on their way with provisions for Mirkwood.

 

Frerin stayed and rested at Beorn's house for three days before he moved on. The man gave him provisions and told him that despite the extra distance he was better off going around the forest. He told tales of giant spiders and other beasts that a company could deal with but a lone traveller could not. Frerin thanked him for his advice and set out making for the southern edge of the forest. It added a huge amount to his journey and he hated to turn away from Bilbo's path but he knew he was of more help to the hobbit alive.


	8. Chapter 8

 

When Frerin finally came to the edge of the long lake he was tired and travel worn. Still he forged onward towards the mountain in the hopes of finding his hobbit there. He stopped as he saw a great battlefield before him with warriors still limping away. Taking a moment to disguise himself in case any of the dwarves walking around spotted him head headed for the battlefield.

 

None of the dwarves he met would tell him about the hobbit and he began to fear the worst. Luckily as he was talking to a dwarf in earshot of an elf that approached him once the dwarf had left. "Why are you looking for Mr Baggins?" The elf asked looking him up and down.

 

"I want to make sure he is okay," Frerin replied before catching the elf's look. "Why else would I be looking for him?"

 

"Your king has ordered the hobbit's head," the elf replied mildly and now he was beginning to sound amused.

 

"Why?"

 

"He stole the Arkenstone," the elf said and now he was speaking as if to a child. Frerin was insulted even as he wondered why Bilbo would have done that. The question must have shown on his face because the elf explained. "He was trying to prevent a war between men, elves and dwarves."

 

The elf never got any further because Frerin stormed off shouting that he was going to kill that stupid king. When a dwarf stormed into his tent, Thorin's first reaction was to call for Dwalin and when that dwarf hit him in the face he didn't know what to do.

 

When Dwalin came in, Frerin was already mid rant and Thorin was on the floor with a blood coming from his nose as he nursed an injured arm. "How dare you demand his head? He was trying to save your life. Your life!"

 

Dwalin walked forward and grabbed Frerin from behind but the dwarf did not stop shouting. "He stole the heirloom of my people," Thorin said standing now he was no longer under attack. "It is my right to demand his head."

 

"Then I demand you don't take it. It is as much my right as it is yours," Frerin shouted back at him. Silence fell in the tent as its occupants stared at him in shock. "Rescind your order."

 

"Tell me what you meant by that," Thorin growled in reply.

 

"Then I rescind it for you," Frerin growled infuriated by his brother. "Bilbo is no longer sentenced to death for stealing the Arkenstone." Thorin opened his mouth only to close it again without speaking in response to that declaration.


	9. Chapter 9

 

Frerin didn't get much further because at that moment Bilbo rushed into the tent. Completely ignoring the king who had demanded his head he leapt into Frerin's open arms causing Dwalin to let go in shock. "I thought I heard you," the hobbit said kissing his lover. He paused, "did you follow me here?"

 

Frerin laughed and kissed him back, "You did propose and then run off with my idiot brother." He was so wrapped up in the hobbit that he didn't notice Thorin's reactions to those words. Nor did he realise that Bilbo was slowly removing his disguise.  

 

"Frerin," Thorin said quietly and hearing his name the dwarf turned to his brother. "You're alive?"

 

"Don't worry you get over the shock eventually," Frerin replied jokingly. His face became more sombre as he spoke again, "I thought you were dead too."

 

Bilbo who was following the conversation looked up at him, "Thorin's the brother you thought died."

 

"My family didn't all die," Frerin said to the hobbit and there was a smile on his face.

 

"No," Thorin said quietly. "You actually have two nephews around here somewhere."

 

"You, had children," Frerin said sceptically.

 

"Dis," Thorin replied. Frerin gasped and felt his knees go weak but Bilbo supported him long enough to get him to a chair.

 

"What's this about mother?" Fili asked entering the tent with his brother at his side. Frerin was watching them with tears in his eyes as he looked on his nephews for the first time.

 

"Boys meet your Uncle Frerin," Thorin said and his tone sounded weary although there was an underlying happiness to it. Frerin found himself the receiver of two very fierce hugs not a moment later as his nephews crashed into him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not great at writing big revelations like this but I hope it lived up to expectations.
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely comments you've been leaving and pointing out the mistakes:)


	10. Chapter 10

 

With the rediscovery of family they all forgot about Bilbo's sentence for a while. It wasn't until Balin came looking for his king and caught sight of the hobbit curled up in the arms of a dwarf he sort of recognised that they were reminded. "Finally pardoned him then," Balin commented.

 

The occupants of the tent froze and as one turned to Thorin, "no I haven't," the king said quietly. Balin's eyes darted to the hobbit who was still relaxing and ignoring Thorin. "The decision was taken from me."

 

"How can the decision be taken from you?" Balin asked looking to his brother for help. Dwalin just laughed though, amused that for once he knew more than Balin.

 

Thorin looked at the dwarf holding the hobbit and they seemed to have a silent conversation. "Hello Balin," the dwarf said at last looking at the old dwarf. He knew that Balin was the dwarf who had been on the walls with Thorin so it seemed that at least two of them had escaped. "I believe you've met my fiancé."

 

Balin looked at him and saw the shadow of a dwarf he had once known. He couldn't be that dwarf though, that dwarf had died when the dragon came. The joy that sparkled in Thorin's eyes though and the tears drying on the princes cheeks demolished that idea though. "Frerin you're alive," Balin said at last. The dwarf grinned up at him pulling the dwarf closer. "And engaged to our hobbit," Balin said looking at Bilbo.

 

"I believe he was mine first," Frerin replied and the hobbit made a sound of agreement. He burrowed further into the dwarf's chest taking comfort in the presence of his lover after being separated for so long. "You just stole him for a while."

 

"You can't steal a burglar," Balin retorted at smile beginning to form on his face. He remembered arguing back and forth with a young prince over the smallest of things before the fall of Erebor.

 

"Didn't steal me," Bilbo said softly turning to face the tent. "I wanted to marry Frerin in his true home." The dwarf let out a sad sound and pressed a kiss to the hobbit's head as he told him how he would have happily married in the Shire.

 

Slowly the conversation seemed to get through to the rest of the Durins. Now that they had managed to recover slightly from the shock of their kin not being dead they began to comprehend the rest of the conversation. "Bilbo's our uncle as well?" Kili said disbelievingly.

 

"Not till after they're married," Thorin managed to get out. His eyes flicking from nephew to hobbit as he spoke. Bilbo, the hobbit he had nearly killed, was to be his brother. In one day he had gained not one but two members of his family.

 

"But then yes," Frerin finished for his brother who seemed to unable of speaking anymore. Laughter filled the tent as the princes dived at the hobbit and dwarf again enveloping them in hugs.


	11. Chapter 11

 

 

That was where Thorin found him when he went looking. Silently he settled himself beside the hobbit who had saved his life so many times, the hobbit who was family. "I owe you an apology," Thorin said after a while breaking the silence. "I should never have threatened you for taking the Arkenstone. I was angrier because I thought you didn't know the true worth of what you gave away."

 

Silence fell again and for a long time the king thought that the hobbit wasn't going to reply. "I knew its value, that's why I used it," Bilbo said quietly turning his gaze to the king. "I thought if you cared enough it might snap you out of the gold madness."

 

"Frerin told you about that," Thorin commented not disputing the hobbit's words. It explained why the hobbit had been so angry back in the Shire if he blamed Frerin losing his family on Thor's gold madness. Thorin paused before he spoke again, "your punishment for that has been cancelled. As betrothed to a dwarf of the line of Durin it was within your rights."

 

Bilbo looked at Thorin and saw the hope in his eyes and knew that the king wanted his family to stay. If Bilbo decided to leave then Frerin would come with him and the princes would no doubt want to get to know there uncle. Thorin was offering Bilbo a chance for peace, a chance to live in Erebor with a family. Bilbo's gaze softened, "Would you like to conduct our wedding, Thorin?"

 

The king was taken aback by the offer but the hobbit's face help no malice. He had scarcely hoped that the hobbit might consider staying; had thought Frerin might convince Bilbo to invite him to the wedding but this was so much more than he had even dared to wish for. "I'd be honoured," Thorin managed to reply at last and there was a smile on his face that dazzled Bilbo. It was strange to see anything but a frown on the king's face and in the hobbit's opinion it suited him better.

 

When Frerin found them they were talking animatedly to each other. As he drew closer he realised they were telling each other tales of him and he let out a groan. They both had embarrassing tales to tell and he was sure that as soon as they saw Dis there would be more tales being spread. They turned to him when he was close enough to be heard both breathing hard from all the laughing they had been doing. "Thorin's agreed to conduct our wedding," Bilbo told him. Frerin looked at his brother whose eyes were shining in joy at the prospect of being given such a part in the wedding.

 

"Bilbo suggested we wait till Dis arrives," Thorin told his brother who was grinning again at the reminder that his sister was alive.

Frerin's agreement to the idea was so violent that the hobbit let out a laugh. "I thought you'd agree to that," he said still laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update wont be till Thursday at the earliest


	12. Chapter 12

Frerin stormed out of the mountain that was even now being restored and walked straight into his brother. Thorin took one look at his brother's face and found his own anger surging up. Something had riled his brother and he would make sure that whatever it was wouldn't happen again. "How do you deal with them?" Frerin demanded as he followed his brother to where they were meant to be meeting the first of the caravans from Eruid Luin.

 

Ah maybe not, Thorin thought as he realised exactly what had Frerin riled so. His nephews still drove him insane and he had had decades to get used to them where as Frerin had only had a few months. "What did they do?" Thorin asked him unable to answer the question. The only person who seemed to be able to control them was Dis though Thorin admitted that Bilbo seemed to have a similar ability. The hobbit was currently managing to bribe the princes into being good with food but how long it would work Thorin didn't know.

 

He had been there the first time when Bilbo had brought Kili to heel by threatening not to cook him any lemon tarts unless he behaved. The prince had quickly started to behave as if he had been threatened with some punishment more serious than the lack of lemon tarts. Thorin had glanced at his brother in order to share his amusement only to see Frerin grim faced. There was something behind this threat of Bilbo's other than refusing Kili his new favourite food.

 

"They messed with Bilbo's kitchen," Frerin told him as they walked. From the tone of his voice this was something serious so Thorin paused to find out more. "I told them to right it and they told me that Bilbo had threatened not to bake for them if they didn't turn up to meet the caravans."

 

"I don't understand the problem here," Thorin told him.

 

"Promise you won't mess with Bilbo's kitchen," Frerin said urgently misunderstanding his brother. Once he had been assured that wasn't his brother's plan and had received a promise just in case Frerin explained the situation. "You never mess with a hobbit's kitchen it would be like messing with a warriors weapons or a scribe's ink. It just isn't done." Thorin winced as he understood what his nephews had done and how it would be viewed by Bilbo. He made note not to be anywhere near them until Bilbo had unleashed his anger.

 

"But why the upset over not being baked food?" Thorin asked curiously then he paused, "And why is he trying to make sure we're all out here?"

 

"Bribed you too did he," Frerin said and he laughed when he saw the look on his brother's face. "Don't worry he bribed me as well. I have no idea what he's planning." Frerin looked towards the mountain and saw Bilbo coming from the gates. Grabbing Thorin's arm he started them walking again to make sure the hobbit wouldn't overhear. "Bilbo makes food unlike anything dwarves can make even if they are cooks, I suppose it is part of being a hobbit, and he knows he does. He'll find your weakness, find the food he needs to bribe you, and you'll have no choice."

 

"He doesn't need a food," Thorin muttered in response. He understood though what his brother meant about the hobbit's food. Thorin had been careful though not to show any preference so as to avoid the hobbit's ability to control through food.

 

Frerin it seemed had fallen into that trap long ago if his warnings of late had been based on anything. "Got something else on you has he?" Frerin said laughingly to his brother.

 

"He offered to give me a day free of our nephews causing mischief," Thorin growled in reply. He didn't like the fact that his brother was taking so much enjoyment in the hobbit bribing him. "What does he have on you?"

 

Frerin let out a bellow of laughter at the question startling Thorin. "A better question would be what he doesn't have," Frerin replied and that drew a grin from his brother. Thorin had been doing that a lot more since he had reclaimed Erebor and found out his brother still lived. "He's my one," Frerin confided quietly to his brother, "I would do anything for him."

 

"Including chase him across Middle Earth," Thorin said softly. Placing a hand on his brother's shoulder and turned Frerin to him, coming to a stop again, "Just as he'd do anything for you." Catching the not quite convinced look on Frerin's face he placed his other hand on the dwarf's free shoulder, "He took on a dragon for you. Left his home with a group of strangers, so you could come home, I'd say that was dedication."

 

"Aye," Frerin muttered at last pulling his brother into an embrace. Thorin froze unused to the act still but after a moment he relaxed into his brother's hold. It reminded him of when they were younger and Frerin had embraced him after he had cheered up his little brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it, next update should be quicker   
> thanks for all the comments :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got this chapter up. Sorry it's taken me so long

 

As the caravan came into sight Bilbo arrived to stand at Frerin's side with a grin on his face. He had yet to find out about his kitchen then but the princes had arrived obviously finally taking Frerin's advice and trying to appease the hobbit before he discovered their chaos.

 

The caravan came closer and Thorin saw a familiar figure emerge from the train of dwarfs as it came to a stop before them. Frerin let out a gasp and stumbled back into the waiting hobbit's hold at the sight of his baby sister all grown up. This then was why Bilbo had insisted that they all be here to great the caravan because Thorin had no idea that Dis would be travelling with it.

 

"Sister," he greeted her inclining his head to her.

 

Dis smiled at him before hitting him around the head, "That's for getting my boys injured and imprisoned." While Thorin was still in shock she gave him a head butt and said much more softly, "And that's for staying alive."

 

"Dis," Frerin finally managed to choke out and there were tears of joy running down his face. "You're really alive," he added. Before she could reply, he had grabbed her in a hug and picked her up smiling. Dis laughed as he spun her in a circle so elated as he was at seeing her.

 

Once she was finally on firm ground again she gave him a head butt as well. "It's good to see you Frerin," she said quietly and there were tears falling down her cheeks as well now. As she drew back she was hit by her two sons pulling her into tight hugs, "I see your alive," she commented looking at them fondly. "Even if you have been injured," she added frowning at the scar that marked Fili's face.

 

When Dis had finally been released by her sons she turned to the hobbit with a smile on her face. "Good to finally meet you Bilbo," she said surprising everyone by greeting him with a head butt. "Thank you for holding the wedding so I could see my brother get married."

 

"You too," Bilbo replied smiling at her. "We already waited while Erebor was reclaimed what was a few more months," Bilbo told her in response. Frerin added his agreement with that sentiment. "Though I do look forward to calling him my husband," Bilbo said reaching down to take Frerin's hand which held the ring with which the hobbit had proposed.

 

Catching the movement Dis saw the ring and of course had to see it there and then. "Beautiful craftsmanship," she told the hobbit as she stared at it in amazement, "truly beautiful." The hobbit blushed at her in response having been told by Thorin about the skill his sister had with metal many times over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments have been great :)  
> Just one chapter to go now


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